The impact of antibiotic resistance training programs on knowledge, attitude, and practice reflection among Indian higher education students

Abstract

Background and Aim: Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is one of the most pressing public health issues. Resistant pathogens originate from antibiotic misuse and unsustainable socioeconomic patterns. Co-financed by the European Commission, the Erasmus + capacity building project, PREVENT IT | Risk Management and Prevention of ABR, aims to improve the effectiveness of the study programs of Indian universities vis-à-vis ABR. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the ABR training programs on the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) reflection of undergraduate and postgraduate students from five Indian universities. Materials and Methods: In this multicentric study, the KAP reflection of the students was assessed before (pre) and after (post) the intervention of experiential ABR training. Paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the impact of intervention using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. Results: A total of 515 students participated in the study. The findings indicate a significant improvement in the knowledge and attitude scores, while a minor change was observed in practice reflection. Conclusion: The intervention conducted within the framework of the project could set a good practice for the prevention and risk management of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Keywords: health, antibiotic resistance, training, innovations and health, attitude and practice, capacity building, equal access, awareness, increasing life expectancy, international health policy.